There have been many posts about the airbag resistance being 3 ohms but I have never seen the source of this mythical number. I am prepping to change my wheel to a Momo Jet so I pulled the wheel today. I dug through my stash and found a 3 ohm resistor for the bypass but, being ever curious, I decided to get out my meter and measure the resistance of the airbag. It is .3 ohms not 3 ohms! A cheap DVM says .1 ohms so I got out my good one because I didn't believe that reading. I will bring my really good DVM ($800.00 Fluke) home from work and remeasure.
For those of you who have been getting the intermittent airbag "!" this may be the problem.
Anyone else have an alternate factoid that proves me otherwise?
I just installed a new wheel 4 days ago. I could not find a 3 ohm resistor locally, so I used a 2.2. It worked fine for 2 days until I pulled the battery to install a new coil. Now I get the airbag warning. Not sure why it worked for a little while. I plan to jump the controller under the dash to get rid of this once and for all...
-kb
For those of you with problems I now have an acurate DC measurment of the airbag - 0.69 ohms. I plan in putting in a 1 ohm resistor. Aas this is quite low it will probably have to be a wirewound resistor. Resistors that are very low values are also assumed to have to dissapate a lot of heat so I expect the only thing I will find is 5W (or above) ceramics; hysically a bit big but it should fit.
If I have issues with the "!" I will update the thread.
Good find - there's nothing like data to dispel a myth. Although, I had placed a 3 ohm resistor to bypass the passenger airbag for years, and I never go a warning light. Maybe the passenger air bag is closer to 3 ohms.
Please snap a few pics of the new wheel.
Will do. Just waiting for the seller to get a shipping price. It will be nice to have a little more leg/knee room as my son and I are both quite tall.
HI Guys,
Were are you measuring for resistance? I had pull my glove box apart to check the sylenoid for the heater control and when I put it back together I got my airbag light on. I cleared it with the Durametric software but it came right back. I am going to pull it back apart and make sure I didnt hit anything under there.
Thanks
I only measured the air bag bomb itself. If you were behind the glove box then you may hve missed clipping a connector back on or only part way?
HI DaveN,
Perhapes you are correct but I thought I was very cautious because I was under the impression if you touch the airbag cicuit you could trigger it. But I am going to pull it back apart and check it out.
Thanks
I used a 3.3 ohm resister when I replaced my son's steering wheel. I too was too chicken to put current through the airbag circuit to get a resistance measurement!! I went ahead and cut the clock spring cable and soldered the resister to the clock spring connector cable.
Shoving the resister leads into the female side of the connecter just didn't seem like a permanent solution. Could that have something to do with people's airbag light coming on after a while - a slightly loose connection?
Jerry
DVM's use very little current to measure resistance so there is no chance of ignition. I did, however, stand back while doing it because I'm not as stupid as I look <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.png" class="smilie" alt="" />
A previous owner installed an airbag switch on my 968. The little toggle switch is located under the arm rest lid. The only problem is that the "On/Off" label he made is loose, so I do not know which way is "On" and which way is "OFF"!!! Any tips as to how I can determine that? I wonder "why" it was installed, since the car is "stock", other than the stereo...
[quote name='Langley968' timestamp='1342670182' post='129579']
A previous owner installed an airbag switch on my 968. The little toggle switch is located under the arm rest lid. The only problem is that the "On/Off" label he made is loose, so I do not know which way is "On" and which way is "OFF"!!! Any tips as to how I can determine that? I wonder "why" it was installed, since the car is "stock", other than the stereo...
[/quote]
Easiest way would be to pull out the switch and look at the wiring configuration. One set of wires should be going to a resistor, the other set should trace back and hook up to the orange connector underneath your steering wheel. You will be able to see the connector from underneath the dash without taking out the steering wheel.
Maybe one of the previous driver was under 12 or 40 kgs? <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/biggrin.png" class="smilie" alt="" /> Of course the booster seat restraints would give that away. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.png" class="smilie" alt="" />